Over 15 years ago, the Government Information Technology Executive Council (GITEC), then known as the Federal Data Center Directors Council (FDCDC), an association of the federal data center managers, researched and wrote a white paper on the hot topic of the day, "data center consolidation."This paper was impetus to successfully and to unsuccessfully consolidate data centers during that time.

Today, Data Center Optimization encompasses more than data center consolidation.Government programs and the associated business needs should drive IT changes to increase agencies’ efficiencies.Many federal agencies are using this model including VA, DHS and Treasury with some success.

Please come join GITEC and AFFIRM (Association for Federal Information Resource Management) as we partner to gain insight from government, former government, and industry leaders about how we can optimize federal data centers by effectively managing organizational change, and how we can successfully architect and implement new technologies.

·Panel will discuss best practices to optimization, roadblocks they overcame or avoided.Is history repeating itself from 15 years ago – will there be limited success or mass appeal to moving to a business driven data center, a private or public cloud, a revamped fee for service/Center of Excellence model.Is the federal government ready?Are the business drivers strong enough?Do mandates work?

Moderator:Amy Morris, Federal News Radio – Peg (confirmed)

Panelists:

DHS: Margie Graves or Mike Brown – Leslie (invitedRichard Spires, he copied both Margie and Mike in his response as he has a schedule conflict)

VA:Charlie de Sanno – Leslie (confirmed)

DISA:Alfred Rivera – Sarah Jane (confirming schedule)

SSA:Jim Strickler – Ben Moses (invited)

1:45-2:00:Break

2:00 – 3:15Panel 2:Architecting the Business Solutions

·Panel will discuss the models that they have used or are looking at for crafting the right business solution.Questions such as buy v. lease, private v. public cloud, security v. transparency, performance requirements.Where do the technologists fit in v. business owners?Move to a new center or refit the old?Where do network providers fit in the mix?How do you contract to meet the business requirements?

·Panel will discuss the metrics needed to make implementation work, the organizational change management that needs to take place to ensure success?How do you avoid the WEBE (we be here when you got here, we be here when you’re gone) syndrome?